


would you love me tomorrow

by green_tea31



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, MacDalton Fluff, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-26
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2019-12-18 11:14:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18248702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/green_tea31/pseuds/green_tea31
Summary: A home for all the random Jack/Mac shorts that don't fit into my other stories.(Update: Jack vs. kitten, the fluffy edition.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have a few random macdalton shorts on my harddrive that are roughly between 500 - 1000 words and don't fit into my other stories. Since I depressed myself by working on the next chapter for "my heart lay waiting" today I thought I'd start dusting them off and posting them for you to enjoy. No sense in letting them go to waste. 
> 
> This little snippet is based on the video of a man waking up in the hospital and hitting on his wife without recognizing her which some of you might remember. A few years ago, seemingly every fandom I was in adapted it for their otp and I don't know if there is a macdalton version yet but here's my take on it.
> 
> You'll find the original video [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiviQfLyQX4).
> 
> As always, self-betaed. All mistakes are my own.
> 
> Title taken from "Love That Burns" by Fleetwood Mac which is on my neverending macdalton playlist.

Mac is almost asleep in the uncomfortable hospital chair when Jack finally wakes up. He takes Jack’s hand and squeezes gently, trying to let him know that he’s not alone. They have a deal about that; a deal they made years ago in a field hospital in the Afghani desert after they’d already signed up for the DXS but before shipping back stateside.

As long as one of them is still standing, the other one will never have to wake up alone in a hospital room.

Mac is keeping his promise.

“Whut?” Jack blinks a few times, trying to bring the room into focus. He looks down at their joined hands and then at Mac, drawing his eyebrows together.

“Who’r you?” Jack asks confused and Mac is glad that he knows Jack’s reaction to anaesthetics by now or he would be seriously concerned about that question.

“I’m Mac,” He says and holds out the glass of water the nurse left for Jack earlier. Jack gingerly takes it, glancing suspiciously at the clear liquid and Mac supresses a snort. Trust Jack’s well-trained instincts to rear their head even after a fairly simple surgery.

“It’s not poisoned, promise.” Mac grins as Jack shrugs, taking a sip of water. He seems to decide that he can trust Mac and drinks a bit more before handing the glass back to Mac.

“Soooo, Mac,” Jack says, grinning like a lunatic, “Did the doctor send ya? You the eye-candy or somethin’?” He lets himself fall back into the pillows, looking quite proud for having figured that out. This time, Mac can’t suppress a laugh. But Jack isn’t quite finished.

“You’re the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen, man. Are you a model?”

“I…thank you? But no…actually I’m your husband,” Mac answers truthfully and watches as the woozy grin on Jack’s face becomes even bigger if possible.

“You’re my husband? Holy shit…” Jack gazes at him like he can’t believe he’s lucky enough to be married to Mac and something in Mac’s chest clenches almost painfully. Jack tells him how lucky he is that Mac said yes to him often enough but having Jack this painfully open and vulnerable and seemingly in awe of Mac is…

Mac can’t even describe the feeling but needless to say if he wasn’t already head-over-heals in love with this adorable goof of a man, he’d probably be after this conversation.

“How long have we been married?” Jack asks, never taking his eyes of Mac and still grinning happily.

“Going on two years now,” Mac tells him. To be honest, sometimes Mac still can’t believe that they got this far, considering the amount of unacknowledged feelings and mutual denial they’d had to wade through for their first _kiss_ – never mind marriage.

“Oh my _God_ ,” Jack draws out the last word, his distinct Texan accent even more pronounced under the influence, “I hit the jackpot.” He rubs a hand over his face, or tries to at least, it’s more of a pat really, and lets out a high-pitched giggle.

“We’re married? How…did I manage that?” Jack asks bewildered while staring up at the ceiling. Mac doesn’t think he’s really expecting an answer so he stays quiet.

Jack looks back at him, eyes still wide with astonishment.

“Wow…man, your eyes are _really_ pretty…like beautiful…you are, that is.” Jack tries to lean forward to get a better look at Mac’s eyes but sways dangerously.

“Careful, babe.” Mac steadies Jack before he drops to the side where the stitches would make that very uncomfortable. Jack raises a hand and cups Mac’s cheek, a gentle and loving expression on his face that Mac knows Jack exclusively reserves for him.

“I’m a lucky bastard, darling’…really, really lucky…if I could sit up, I’d have kissed you by now.” He pats Mac’s cheek a few times and doesn’t protest when Mac helps him lie back down, drawing the covers up over him.

“I think I‘m in love with you,” is the last thing Jack mumbles tiredly, his hand seeking out Mac’s, before his eyes close and his breathing evens out.

“Yeah, love you, too,” Mac says but Jack is already asleep, blissful smile on his face and his fingers still wrapped around Mac’s.    


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> James MacGyver has an opinion about Jack's presence in his son's life - not that either of them care about it. 
> 
> (James MacGyver's POV)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost forgot that I even wrote this. I guess I was trying to get into James' head? Still amuses me, though.
> 
> As always self-betaed. All mistakes are my own.

James MacGyver is a lot of things, genius, engineer, spy, father, but a fool is not one of them. When Matilda Webber handed him Jack Wyatt Dalton Jr.’s file with the remark, “Not the ideal candidate but I think your son could use some of Dalton’s _unique_ expertise,” He’d expected to have a quick look at it before going back to more… _suitable_ alternatives.

Look how well that turned out.

Jonah had liked Dalton, but told Jim that he was too soft to effectively watch over Angus. Jim had looked at Dalton’s file and looked some more and tried to figure out where the hell his partner saw any kind of _softness_ in the endless line of shady assignments and sometimes straight out assassinations Dalton had under his belt.

In retrospect, he can understand why Jonah thought Dalton soft and he’s kind of glad for it now. Better Dalton’s softness than his old partner’s ruthless inclination to betray everything he stands for.

So, Dalton it is.

Still…

He sees how Dalton looks at Angus and it’s not in a fatherly way, never mind that Dalton’s barely sixteen years older than Jim’s son and Angus had a perfectly good father figure in Harry even if most people tend to forget that for some reason. Jim admits you could call Dalton’s affection brotherly if you wore sunglasses and looked at the situation through a reflective prism, but it’s a stretch.

The worst thing though…

Is that Angus looks _back_.

He isn’t sure when he first noticed, but now that he did, he’s lost the ability not to see how Angus looks at Dalton in _every conceivable situation_. Matty sees it, too, but Jim is pretty sure she turns a wilfully blind eye to it and probably roots for a happy ending, however that may look. Jim, though, would just be happy if Dalton stopped staring at Angus when he thinks nobody is looking and for Angus to stop doing the same.

He’d realized early on that his son’s choice in a future spouse might not be one that Jim would necessarily approve of, nor would Angus look to him for approval given his almost non-existent involvement in his son’s life but…

He’d maybe hoped for someone a little less…Dalton- _ish_.

The man has the ability to drive Jim insane with a raised eyebrow. It’s not even intentional, most of the time at least. The three months Angus had spent in Nigeria had been hell in a very Jack Dalton-induced kind of way because the man has perfected the ability to skirt the line between reckless arguing and true insubordination, and combines it with the subtleness of a bull in a china shop.

They’re at his son’s house now, celebrating Dalton’s triumphant return from hunting down Tiberius Kovacs. The man in question is sitting in front of the fire pit, staring at the flames while Jim’s son sits next to him, slightly leaning into Dalton, eyes falling closed every few seconds.

Dalton looks at him with the adoring gaze of the hopelessly besotted, and Jim can feel his last shred of denial wave a white flag and surrender to the inevitable.

He’s _not_ going to pay for the wedding.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack doesn’t really fall in love with Mac – it’s more that he accidentally stumbles into it, hitting his head on the way down, giving himself a concussion while he’s at it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty sure I was reading Paul Auster when I wrote this. It might explain the weirdly allegorical flow, kind of an experiment, writing wise. 
> 
> Please notice the rating change. 
> 
> As always self-betaed. All mistakes are my own.

Jack doesn’t really _fall_ in love with Mac – it’s more that he accidentally stumbles into it, hitting his head on the way down, giving himself a concussion while he’s at it.

Mac would tell him to rethink the metaphor, but the point stands. There’s no grand moment where Jack suddenly understands why he finds Mac’s habit of running his hand through his hair when he’s frustrated so distracting, or why Jack sometimes wakes up in the morning, sheets clammy and cock stiff, dreams of a vaguely blond- _ish_ figure to tumble the sheets with already fading into nothing.

Jack is rather equal opportunity in his choice of lovers, but-

_But…_

…

This is the fantasy he’s buried deep – deep enough, Jack rarely allows it to see the light.

Mac – _writhing_ – hands fisted in Jack’s sheets, skin bathed in moonlight, shining, _ethereal_ while Jack spends himself in his willing body.

“ _Jack_.”

Jack wakes up; the images fade with the morning sun, come sticky on his belly.

It’s on one of these mornings – maybe three years into their partnership – that Jack stumbles first. When he wakes up, the whisper of Mac’s name is still on his lips. Jack can finally put a _name_ to the mysterious lover haunting his dreams of late.

It’s not a pleasant surprise – not then. Mac is still so young – a bright, shining thing compared to Jack’s darkness, and Jack does his best to forget he’s ever had a dream like that in the first place.

Still – he stumbles.

…

Jack introduces Mac to Nicky and doesn’t regret it until his hands are stained red with Mac’s blood, until Jack spends his days at his partner’s hospital bed, counting each breath as if they were his own. Mac returns to haunt his dreams, but it’s not like before – it’s so very different, Mac’s lifeless eyes stare back at him as soon as he closes his own – and for the first time since he’s stopped dreaming about Mac in _that way_ , Jack desperately wishes for the dreams to return.

Mac opens his eyes.

Jack can _breathe_ again.

…

Jack doesn’t quantify the way he loves, he doesn’t love Riley _more_ than he loves Mac – he loves them _differently_. That doesn’t mean Jack admits to himself _how_ they differ. He’s been swimming in that river for far too long to change direction now.

_Conclusion…_

In the end, it’s Mac who changes the rules, Mac who is _courageous_ enough to do it for both of them. Mac kisses him on a too bright Sunday morning while they’re both still nursing a hangover. His mouth tastes terrible, they bump their noses together not once but twice, coordination shot after last night, and his lips are chapped, but it might qualify as the best kiss Jack’s ever had anyway.

He takes Mac to bed.

_“Jack.”_

Jack wakes up; Mac is wrapped around him, come drying between their bodies.

Jack looks at him, blond hair tousled, skin flush with the relaxation of sleep. It occurs to him then, that there’s something that comes after stumbling, something infinitely more dangerous, but also so much more rewarding.

After stumbling comes the fall.

Maybe Jack’s been falling all along.

  

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack vs. kitten, the fluffy edition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which this author tried to find as many substitutes for the word kitten as possible.
> 
> Self-betaed. All mistakes are my own.

Jack finds the kitten on a lazy Sunday afternoon while rummaging through Mac’s garage, looking for a box his partner insisted had to be in there somewhere. He’s balancing on his toes, trying not to bring the contents of an entire shelving unit down on his head when he’s distracted by the most pathetic meow he’s ever had the misfortune of hearing.

Something unidentifiable, but thankfully not too heavy from the top shelf hits his head, making him curse Mac’s rather haphazard approach to long-term storage, and he turns towards the sound.

There’s a kitten sitting in the garage, looking at him with big eyes. It’s a tiny, fluffy thing, white hair with patches of black. Jack finds himself momentarily stunned.

The kitten breaks their unexpected standoff and walks closer, wobbling a little when it reaches Jack’s feet, and bats at his shoes. Jack blinks, a smile spreading across his face. Slowly, trying not to frighten the little thing, he crouches down and scoops the kitten into his hands.

The little animal is almost swallowed whole by Jack’s calloused hands, but it doesn’t seem to care and starts purring vigorously, pressing its head against Jack’s fingers. He obliges and starts scratching the little one’s ears, fascinated by the tiny kitten, and rather honoured by the unabashed trust it’s showing Jack right now.

“Jack?” Mac steps into the garage, frowning a little, and Jack belatedly remembers that he told his partner he’d be right back.

“Is that a kitten?” Mac asks, steeping closer, eyebrows creeping into his hairline. Jack chuckles, still gently scratching the fluffy ears of his little foundling. The kitten turns his head a little and Jack has the distinct pleasure of watching Mac’s face as he catches sight of the kitten shamelessly commanding Jack’s attention.

“Oh,” Mac says, tentatively raising a hand. He looks at Jack as if to ask permission, prompting Jack to take a step closer. Mac smiles absently and strokes over the kitten’s head, fingers scratching behind its ears as Jack had done not so long ago.

The kitten starts purring again, even louder than it had before, almost throwing itself against Mac’s hand.

Jack swallows heavily. He can totally understand that urge.

“Can I?” Mac asks, blue eyes fixed on Jack. Jack nods, not trusting himself to speak, and carefully deposits the little ball of fluff into his partner’s hands.

Mac carefully nudges the kitten until it’s cradled in his right arm, left hand hovering protectively over its back. The kitten rubs itself against Mac’s chest, still purring away happily, and Jack doesn’t know whether he’s woken up to find himself in some kind of heaven or hell.

He also never expected to find himself being jealous of a helpless little kitten today when he’d gotten out of bed that morning, but probably should have, given he’s been rather helplessly in love with Mac for a while now, and Jack has found himself jealous of all kinds of things lately, including one of Mac's goddamn throw pillows just yesterday.

“We should get inside. Probably get some kitten food and find out if someone’s missing the little guy…or girl,” Mac says, smiling softly and turning back towards the house. Jack swallows again, barely avoids stumbling over something that he doesn’t have the mental capacity left to name right now, and follows his partner out of the garage.

If he’s looking at Mac with the same besotted look that Mac’s currently looking at the cat with, well…

It’s a Sunday. No one will notice.


End file.
